We needed a solution for our two mini wine refrigerators and the gaggle of wine bottles that seemed to constantly surround the units, so I came up with this. It was really two projects: a wine storage unit with a “work area” (lower component); and a wine glass holder with accessory drawers (upper component). There were several advantages to constructing it this way, but mainly it was to keep straight the placement of multiple dados and to allow the replacement of the zebrawood counter top should it ever become damaged during some “rager” at our house (it can be changed out with the removal of 4 pocket screws).

The construction was pretty straightforward and combined 3 woods: domestic walnut, maple and zebrawood. I added LED strip lighting at the back of the upper unit to prevent intoxicated guests from smashing it to bits. Truth is, however, that the hardwood construction could survive at Cat 2 hurricane. I re-sawed a piece of 3/4” zebrawood for the door panels hoping to get a book matched look, but the somewhat chaotic placement of veins in the wood rendered this exercise pointless – but it still looks respectable IMO.

The side and rear panels were done in 1/2” maple. I ripped the board into 1 7/8” strips, used a 45-degree chamfer bit on the edges, glued the sides, and installed a couple of stiffeners on the top and bottom of the backside to keep everything flat and straight.

The inlays on the walnut posts were done with maple and zebrawood just because. I used a shutter bead router bit for the detail on the post edges. I had the option of rounding or using the beading bit – I chose the later. The bronze wine bottle cabinet knobs were a last minute change to the line-up – incorporated so users won’t be confused about the purpose of the cabinet.

Full extension pullout drawers are walnut and maple with half-blind dovetail joinery (not sure if that shows up in the photos). I rounded them off afterwards with a 1/4 round bit just because. Given that the drawers are at eye level with most people between 5’ 2” and 5’-6”, I chose to cut out a piece of the front drawer so a person can see what’s in the drawer.

Finished with clear seal and a few coats of wipe-on poly just because. Thanks for reading.

Having fun playing around with my new bandsaw and also finding a good use for all the scrap wood I’ve accumulated. This box stops short of being a complete circle and integrates a small stand, which I re-purposed and integrated from the drawer cut. Wood is red oak and padauk (knob is maple an is in the shape of the drawer). I was generally pretty happy with the outcome (this rarely happens BTW), and the tolerances were fairly tight, but not obnoxiously so. Box measures 5” x 6”, finished in Tung oil with a coat of wipe-on poly just because.

Pretty simple design here – an ‘S.’ Being new to bandsaw boxes, I’ve been going through scrap and trying out different techniques and wood combinations. This one is a few 3/4” oak ply sandwiched between a couple of 1/8” wenge panels. The pulls are a pale yellowheart I had lying around and it is finished with Tung oil just because. I’m not sure why, but I really like the patterns and colors created by the curved ply. I’m thinking I’ll create more boxes with similar wood combinations.

I’ve seen a number of these broken or cracked bandsaw boxes, so I figured I try it on a smaller scale (3 1/2” x 6 1/2”). Given that I’m relatively new to bandsaw boxes (I think this is box #3), I opted to use some red oak and walnut scrap that I had lying around. In an effort to make it a bit more interesting, I opted to finish using some dark walnut stain for the outer carcass and some Tung oil on the drawers. Don’t think I’ll do that again as I’m more of a fan of a more natural look, but c’est la vie.

I recently acquired a bandsaw for the shop – can’t believe it took me this long to get one. I started out with some pretty basic projects, simply wanting to get comfortable with the equipment before venturing out a bit more. As a result there’s nothing too crazy here, and nothing you haven’t seen already. As always, I’m learning very quickly what NOT to do – always the most valuable lesson.

Chicago-style box is red oak with Peruvian walnut and a padauk pull.

Chest is a combination of Peruvian walnut, mahogany, plywood, and wenge.

After a one year hiatus due to back fusion surgery, I started up the “wood shop” again a couple weeks ago. I’d been wanting to try this concept for awhile now. It’s a box where all the sides are slanted (cut at 22.5 degrees), thereby leading to the profile you see.

The sides were mortised to the posts, which were carved out on the band saw. Given the angles used, the box sits on one corner of each post. The design is admittedly pretty basic, but it was something different and I thought a good way to get back into the swing of things.

Given that it was a concept piece and I didn’t know if it would turn out, I cobbled together some scraps to put it together. The sides are Striped African Mahogany, posts are Maple, bottom is Oak, and the top is combination of all the above with some Domestic and Peruvian Walnut.

I call this one a mini chest as I used larger than the “normal” box dimensions, including the slightly over-sized wooden hinges (I included a couple of pictures that show the slightly larger scale of this project). Striped African mahogany and wenge were the primary woods, with a strip of yellow heart in the lid to accent the patch stand out. The box is book-matched and the patch is under a thin piece of plexi. The wood hinges were made out of Peruvian wenge, which is denser and less prone to tear-outs (compared to wenge). In the past I’ve color coordinated the wooden hinges when possible. However, lately I’ve been using contrasting woods when doing the hinges, and have been relatively happy with the results. I feel it underscores the custom nature of doing them and helps them stand out a little more.

My uncle served in the Navy on the USS Chara back in the late 1950s. I was able to find online a patch from the uniforms they wore and an actual matchbook from the ship at the time he served. I put both these items under a thin piece of plexi. The box is book-matched and made out of striped African mahogany, with keys of yellow heart. Curly maple was used to frame out the memorabilia; used for the wooden hinges; and on the inside top and bottom. This project provided a number of logistical obstacles – but don’t they all?!?

I built this “Prayer Box” for my Uncle Harold, who is a retired pastor and missionary. It’s a combination of curly maple and purple heart on the outside, with a cross of yellow heart on the inside. The corners are rounded through dovetails and designed to resemble fingers interlocked in prayer. Both crosses are raised (not merely glued on – took some time to perfect this) both inside and out. Wood hinges are purple heart. I enjoyed this project immensely.

This is the first themed box I’ve done. I built this for my 85 year-old uncle who served in the U.S. Army from 1947 to 1950 and was an MP in Tokyo from 1948 to 1950. He has been active veteran for nearly 3 decades, marching in parades and firing salutes at military funerals.

The box is book-matched Peruvian Walnut; hinges are Peruvian Walnut; lid is Yellowheart as are the splines. The Army Veteran’s patch is behind a thin piece of plexi.

This was an extremely enjoyable project because it went to a very deserving guy.

This Christmas box (1 of 6 this year) accompanied a shiny gift for my wife. It’s made out of curly maple and paduak (maple hinges), and finished with tung oil. I personally like the sharp contrast of the maple and paduak, particularly with the through dovetails. Normally I round over the corners of the dovetails to smooth the lines and elongate the joinery. Even though the softer bullnose edges of the top clash with the sharp 90-degree corners of the box, I’m relatively pleased with how it turned out. Thanks for looking.

I built this box for my dad who had a particularly difficult 2014, losing both his wife of 55 years and his only sister within a few months. This box is relatively standard fare with a couple design twists: through dovetails, purple heart, mahogany, curly maple, wood hinges which alternate purple heart and mahogany, 1/4” rounded edges and corners. Although the pictures don’t really show it that well, the sides are raised about 5/16” and also 1/4” rounded. Finished with tung oil and 4 coats of wipe-on poly. The lid has a couple small strips of purple heart on either side of the curly maple inlay that I expected to contrast more than they did. Live and learn I guess. Thanks for looking and reading.

I created a series of rather simple boxes for the holidays. The first three here are what I call “slide-top boxes” (some may call them pencil boxes), and measure roughly 7.5” by 4”. In an effort to personalize each of the 3 boxes, they were done with different joinery: through dovetails, half-blind dovetails, and box joint. In addition to different tab shapes, I incorporated different wood combinations using curly maple, walnut, mahogany, and wenge. Finally, I put each of the nieces’ initials on the inside of the box as to not ruin the aesthetics, but personalize them beyond the wood selection and joinery. I rounded the corners and edges to make them teen and child-friendly. Plus, I kind of like the look of dovetails that have been rounded over – provides an illusion of a longer joint. They were finished in tung oil and a few coats of wipe-on poly.

From last winter: first go-around working with mitered corners and miter keys. Combination of Maple and Padauk, and finished with tung oil and poly. Bottom slides out so you can refill with more Kleenex. I extended one end of the box so my wife can put her alarm clock on top. Fairly enjoyable and straightforward project.

Just another jewelry box – this one was for my step-daughter’s birthday. This was my first go at building one and, as is often the case, I learned quite a bit about what NOT to do next time. Overall, I was pleased with how it turned out. The main box is made of cherry; the pull out tray is domestic walnut; wooden hinge is cherry; and the top has a wenge inlay. The cherry was bookmatched and given the dark veins that ran throughout, it made for an interesting effect at the mitered corners.

This fall’s pet project was a video arcade that plays the games of the generation I grew up in – the 70s and 80s. I took a number of photos with my cell phone, but about a week ago I decided to throw it in the wash with my laundry. As a result, I have only a few stray pics from the construction process.

The overall design is a “pedestal arcade” concept made of 4/4 Peruvian Walnut and 4/4 Striped African Mahogany. The arcade monitor and marquee are both framed out with Peruvian Walnut and hung using French cleats. The theme turned out to be a homage to the game Pac-Man with a backlit LED in front and speaker covers that resemble the ghosts from that game. The marquee is designed such that we can swap out different Plexiglas-backed titles. It is also backlit with an LED.

The control panel box opens up to access the wires connected to the controls and buttons, and is anchored to the pedestal using a few nuts and bolts. I opted to use support gussets in the front to provide added stability for the pedestal and prevent tipping. Truth is the 4/4 wood provides plenty of weight to keep the overall arcade stable. The front of the pedestal is angled back so we can use bar stools and have enough knee clearance to get close to the arcade controls.

There’s more I can share and I have the rough plans for the pedestal in an Excel spreadsheet if anyone has questions.

“Paul’s Shelves” were constructed last fall for the home office, and served as a rough template for “Megan’s Shelves,” which were recently completed and posted. Made out of 5/4 hard maple, and finished with java gel stain and wipe-on poly, much of the process described in more detail on “Megan’s Shelves’ was followed here. Thanks for reading.

While constructing my previous two projects – “Cecil’s Stairs” and “Stella’s Box” – my wife occasionally inquired, “when are you going to build those d@mn shelves?” – referring to the entertainment shelving for our family room. As a result, this project became affectionately known as “Megan’s Shelves,” or simply “Megan’s D@mn Shelves” for the PG-13 and older crowd.

This shelving unit was based loosely on a smaller, but similar set of shelves I built last fall for our home office. The space we were trying to fill is adjacent to our stone fireplace and measured a little over 69 inches wide and 22 inches deep. However, we only wanted the shelves to go about 40 inches up the wall to leave room above for art or a flat screen, which for now is hung above the mantel.

The shelves themselves were made of 5/4 hard maple. I joined 3 boards laterally using a combination of biscuits and pocket screws. The top and bottom shelves run 20-inches deep while the middle shelf was kept at 18.5 inches to aid in the routing of entertainment and lighting cables. Needless to say, these shelves are heavy, and that made them fairly challenging to work with. Roman Ogee (bottom) and half-inch round over (top) router bits were used to add a more conservative look.

I left the sides of the shelving unit open as they rest next to our stone fireplace; hence the term, “semi built-in”. They were finished with a java gel stain (primarily to match the cabinets in the adjacent kitchen) and 3 or 4 coats of wipe-on poly. For the rear paneling, I used a sheet of bead board, which was finished using the java colored gel stain and 3 coats of poly.

Six support columns, created from 6/4 hard maple, were created to support each shelf (18 columns in total – see photo). The shelves are spaced roughly 15.5 inches apart with the exception of the lower shelf, which stands at around 6.5 inches. Doing this allowed for better alignment with baseboards, as well as electrical and cable outlets. It also provides enough space to vacuum underneath. The vertical supports were attached to the shelves with a combination of dowels and screws. I was originally going to just go with dowels, but I added a bit of security with a self-tapping screw set just behind each vertical support to keep them out of view.

Since they’ve been installed, we’ve added the necessary photos and assorted knickknacks that keep the Pier 1’s of the world in business, as well as couple sets of LED lights. One series of pucks illuminate up the interior, which should make future electronic hook-ups a relative breeze. A second set of LEDs resides on the top shelf and brings light to the space above the shelves. Thanks for reading.

If the sliding-top box I built a few weeks ago was my “freshman effort,” these pet steps qualify as my “sophomore effort” here on LJs. Being very new to woodworking, I decided to get some practice with dovetail and half-blind joinery. The opportunity was afforded by virtue of our nearly 15 year-old Red Maine Coon cat, Cecil, who loves to watch the wildlife from the lookout windows in our lower level. Although he occasionally gets up to the 6-inch wide ledge that runs around the perimeter of the room by other means, these steps provide a much easier and more direct route.

The stair system was constructed entirely out of 3/4-inch red oak stock, so it’s plenty strong to support the big guy. In fact, given the tight tolerance of the dovetails, I’m willing to bet that a person could probably walk up the stairs without any issues – certainly not going to try though.

The stringers were created by 14 dovetail “squares.” One side of each “square” had the rabbet cut on the backside to allow for the pin board (I called this side “Side A” just to keep them straight). “Side B” was just a normal tail that would partially interlink with the “A Tails” of the adjoining board (see layout photo).

The most challenging aspect of this project was keeping all the pieces straight as the stringers required creating one set with the rabbet cut on the left, while the other warranted it be on the right. The dimensions of these “squares” were 7 1/2-inches wide by 6 7/8-inches tall. The pin boards were roughly 4 1/4-inches tall. The net of these measurements gave the proper slope for the stairs (for a cat or small dog, that is), which I based partly from a much smaller commercial set of pet stairs purchased awhile back.

The treads were back-cut 1/2-inch with a scroll saw to allow them to recess around the following riser by 1/2-inch. In addition, they were cut to overhang the front of the step by 1/2-inch. All treads, as well as the bottom of the stringers, were finished with a 3/8-inch round over bit. A 1/8-inch deep dado was cut on the underside of all the treads. This allowed the board to recess over the stringers and pin boards and really lock it into position (I believe this dado cut can be partially seen in the glue-up photo I posted).

The top step of the stairs is roughly 2-inches longer than the other treads and serves as a landing of sorts for the cats. Finally, the pin board on the back of this step sits on top of an L-joint that is affixed to a wall stud. This 4 1/2-inch wide block or support board has a 3/4-inch dado that runs through it and allows the steps to just hang off the wall. They can be taken off to clean or vacuum the carpet underneath if need be.

For consistency with our home’s décor, I decided to paint the stringers white. Unfortunately, this covered up the dovetails on the stringers. The risers and treads were finished using a dark Danish oil (roughly consistent with the other furniture in the room) and a layer of paste wax. I didn’t want the stairs to be too slippery, so I opted for one coat of each.

I promised my wife that the next project to be completed is the family room shelves to house our entertainment system and other assorted knickknacks. What she doesn’t know is that I already started on a mobile base and tool shelf for the recently acquired and aforementioned scroll saw. Thanks for reading.

So this is my first post and first project – my “freshman effort” if you will. As you can see it’s a simple sliding top box made out of walnut, curly maple, and wenge, and finished using 2 coats of tung oil with maroon felt on the bottom of the interior.

The purpose of this box was simple: our new cat, Stella (who is posing next to her item in one of the photos), has a skin condition that requires her to take anthistamines twice a day as we hide in some wet food (Fancy Feast). I got tired of seeing the ugly spoon and plastic pill box just lying around on the counter and thought it might be nice to create a more elegant solution.

As you can tell, it’s a pretty simple box cut with an elevated bottom – “stilts” if you will. I did this in case there was ever any standing water on the on kitchen counter, then the whole bottom wouldn’t be submerged and it would be easier to clean. So it rests on these stilts. The wenge piece which slides back and forth is sandwiched between two pieces of curly maple. I ran a thin bullnose router cut across the bottom of the tab, which gives your finger some natural leverage when pulling back on the top.

This was essentially version 2.0 of the box as version 1.0 crashed and burned slightly. I’m also learning very quickly that woodworking seems to be as much about problem solving as it is about preplanning. I learned plenty in failing with version 1.0 of this box, and have even been able to resurrect that attempt from the ashes to assemble a simple trinket box for my daughter.

I’m finding out very quickly how difficult it is working with smaller pieces of wood, and learning the support tolerances necessary to make a solid piece. I probably started with too small of a project and should have attempted a larger piece, but I was eager to begin and felt compelled to do something that served a broader purpose.

As an aside, let me say that after scanning the projects daily on this site for the past month, I’m simply amazed at the skill, craftsmanship, and detail all of you put into your work. There are a number of projects where I sit stunned and wonder “how in the hell did he do that?” There are a couple that I swear would take me one lifetime just to figure it out, and then another lifetime to attempt to build it. So in short, I have a huge degree of respect and admiration for everyone building and posting on this website. I certainly welcome any and all critiques as I’m trying to improve quickly and apply some of the massive knowledgebase and astounding talent captured on this website.